Partners in Population and Development (PPD) is an intergovernmental initiative created specifically for the purpose of expanding and improving South-to-South collaboration in the fields of reproductive health, population, and development. PPD was launched at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), when ten developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America formed an intergovernmental alliance to help implement the Cairo Program of Action (POA). This POA, endorsed by 179 nations, stresses the need to establish mechanisms to promote development through the sharing of experiences in reproductive health (RH) and family planning (FP) within and among countries and to promote effective partnerships among the governments, Non- Governmental-Organizations (NGOs), research institutions and the private sector.

During the five-year review of the implementation of the POA (“Cairo+5”), representatives at the June 1999 Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly not only documented renewed commitment to the goals of the ICPD, but also encouraged intensified support of South- South Collaboration.

Para 14.6 suggested that,

“…more attention should be given to South-South Cooperation as well as to new ways of mobilizing private contributions, particularly in partnership with nongovernmental organizations. The International community should urge the donor agencies to improve and modify their funding procedures in order to facilitate and give high priority to supporting direct South- South collaboration arrangements….South- South cooperation at all levels is an important instrument of development.”